Sand-box valve



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

T. AUSTIN.

SAND BOX VALVE.

No. 417,214. Patented Dec. 1'7 188.9.

m w. 6 l

wvawtoz M 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

( No Model.)

T, AUSTIN. SAND BOX VALVE. No. 417,214. Patented Dec. 17, 1889.

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2 lime/way 3441mm foz 1 M attozmmif To all whom it may concern:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS AUSTIN, OF LOGANSPORT, INDIANA.

SAN D-BOX VALVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 417,214, dated December 17, 1889.

Application filed May 25, 1889. Serial No. 312,019- (No model.)

Be it known that I, THOMAS AUSTIN, of the city of Logansport, in the county of Cass and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sand-Box Valves; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in sand-box valves. I

The object is to provide means for the control of the valve in locomotive sand-boxes and for facilitating the discharge or egress of the sand from the sand box and pipe, thereby preventing any clogging or stoppage in either, which otherwise frequently occurs.

With these ends in View my invention 0011- sists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figurel is a sectional View through the valve and connected parts. Fig. 2 is a view showing the relative positions of the sand box and pipe, locomotive-wheels, valve, and valve-actuating mechanism; and Fig. 3 shows the parts lo cated in a dome on top of the boiler.

A represents the sand-box, which is usually placed on top of boiler, as shown, and also may be made in the shape of an invertedcone frustum and placed below the top of the boiler. The cone has an orifice 1 in its bottom, and a sand-pipe 2 leading therefrom conveys the sand from the box upon the rail in front of the wheel 3. A gland 4 is located on the upper end of the sand-box, opposite the orifice 1, and a follower 5 is screwed into the upper end of this gland.

Cylinder 6 is screwed or otherwise held on the follower 5, and within this cylinder the piston 7 is fitted. This piston is furnished with a suitable packing 8, which forms a steam or air tight joint. As the ends of the packing extend downward, the lower head of the piston is given a cup shape. The piston has a hub 9, which normally rests upon the l'lpwardly-projecting seat 10 on the follower, so that a chamber of considerable size is always left between the follower and piston this valve enters the orifice 1 and controls the passage of sand. This valve has an opening 16 through its center, which aligns with the opening through the valve stem or rod, so as to form a continuous passage, and the lower end of this opening is restricted, as shown, to limit the discharge of air or steam.

An aperture 18, formed in the upper end of the valve-stem, admits air or steam, as the case may be, into the stem when the latter is raised slightly from its normal position and the sand begins to flow into the sand-pipe. This permits a sufficient quantity of air or steam to escape through the stem and alve and into the sand-pipe, thus facilitating the discharge or egress of the sand out of the sand-box.

Great importance is attached to this feature of my invention, for the reason thatthe sand often clogs in the pipe as ordinarily used, and the flow is stopped, causing a great deal of trouble and inconvenience. By my invention this is prevented, as the presence of the air or steam is sufficient to keep the pipe unobstructed and to keep the sand moving; also, the action of the valve and valve-rod within the sand-box has the effect of loosening the sand and thereby preventing its clogging in the sand-box, as frequently occurs.

The piston is held normally depressed by the tensile action of the spring 19 bearing down upon the piston, and the movement of the piston is limited by set-screw 20, which extends through the head of the cylinder 6 in position to constitute a movable stop or abutment for the knob 13.

Such a sand-box as that shown in Fig- 2 may be employed entirely, or the sand boxes may be located in a dome 21, as shown in Fig. 3, located on top of the boiler in the usual manner. Otherwise the various parts are the same as above described, so it is seen thatthe sand-boxes may be placed on top of the boiler or may be differently located, as shown.

Either air or steam may be employed to operate the valve, and all that is necessary is to admit the air or steam into the cylinder to raise or open the valve, and to shut it off to close the valve.

It is evident that slight changes might be resorted to in the form and arrangement of the several parts described without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the particular construction herein set forth; but,

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with a sand-box and a cylinder, of a piston located within the cylinder, a rod or stem rigidly secured to said piston, and a valve rigidly secured to the lower end'of the rod or stem and adapted to close the discharge-opening in the sand-box, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a sand-box and a hollow valve and valve-stem, the latter having an aperture in its upper end, of a cylinder, a spring-cushioned piston fitted therein and connected with the valve-stem, and pipe for conveying air or steam to the side of the piston opposite the spring for actuating said piston, substantially as set forth.

5'. The combination, with a sand-box and a hollow valve and valve-stem, the latter having an aperture in its upper end, of a cylinder, a piston fitted therein, a spring acting upon the piston, and an air or steam pipe leading into the cylinder beneath the piston, whereby the latter is raised, and whereby the air or steam is admitted to the sand-box through the valve and valve-stem, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with an ordinary sandbox having an opening in its bottom and afollower secured in the upper end of said box, of a cylinder held 011 the follower, a piston fitted in the cylinder, a hollow valve-stem secured to the piston and passing through the follower, a plummet-shaped valve secured to the stem and having an opening through it, a spring for depressing the piston, and a pipe for admitting air or steam beneath the piston, substantially as set forth.

' 5. The combination, with a sandbox having holes in its bottom and sand-pipes leading from the bottom, a gland 011 said box, and a follower screwed in the upper end of the latter, of a cylinder screwed to the follower, a piston fitted in the cylinder, a hollow valvestem extending loosely through the follower, a knob for holding the stem to the piston, a plum met-shaped valve on the end of the stem and having an opening through it restricted at its lower end, a spring for depressing the piston, a pipe for admitting air or steam beneath the piston, and a set-screw for limiting the movement of the piston, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS AUSTIN.

Vitnesses:

J OHN I-I. BEATTIE, BENJ. F. BUTLER. 

